Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, said today senior mainland officials have agreed to allocate half-a-day to discuss political reform with legislators in Shanghai next month.
But Leung said he is following up on a demand by pan-democrats for separate meetings with the officials.
He stressed again that the Shanghai meeting would give legislators their first opportunity to exchange views with officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office since the SAR was established in 1997.
People Power legislator, Albert Chan, said the visit to Shanghai had not been arranged specifically to discuss political reform. He said some time would simply be squeezed in so officials could hear what legislators have to say on the issue.
Chan said this was not a “respectable arrangement," and maintained that he and the other lawmakers from his group will not be going.
Chairwoman of the Democratic Party, Emily Lau, said she hoped the SAR government would clarify whether pro-democracy legislators would be able to have separate meetings with the officials. Otherwise, she said, it would be very difficult for members of her party to join the trip to Shanghai. –RTHK